Thinking about it, the sky gradually darkened.

I pondered and realized it was time to take action.

I drew a demon-repelling circle and stepped out of the bedroom.

In the past few days, Zhenyuanzi had been absent, and Qingfeng and Mingyue had been killed by me multiple times.

But every time we left, we couldn't get out of Mount Wanshou.

We even ended up back at Mount Five Elements every time.

Upon reflection, it seems that there is something overlooked by this old Sun of mine.

That something is the ginseng fruit tree in the garden.

The source of demonic energy in the entire Mount Five Elements is that tree.

But I've never laid a hand on that tree.

Perhaps, the root cause of our imprisonment in Mount Wanshou lies in that devilish tree!

Even if destroying the tree doesn't have any effect, we can't let it stay.

With this in mind, I tightly grip my golden-banded staff, even more determined.

However, it's strange that the entire Mount Five Elements is eerily quiet at this moment.

It feels as if the entire temple is empty.

Along the way, I haven't seen a single disciple inside the temple.

Soon, I arrived in front of the orchard.

Raising my foot, I kicked the door and rushed in.

The towering trees stood as usual, and the demonic energy was still strong.

I wielded my magical staff and struck at the ginseng fruit tree.

Boom!

The tree fell directly, and countless ginseng fruits rained down.

As soon as the fruits touched the ground, they immediately burrowed into the soil.

Just as I was feeling triumphant, the ground began to shake slowly.

In an instant, numerous cracks spread across the ground.

Chunks of soil rose up as if something was about to break through the earth.

Suddenly, a hand emerged from the ground.

One hand, two hands, three hands...

Gradually, more and more, humanoid figures crawled out of the soil.

Though they had limbs, their faces were blurry, and their features couldn't be clearly seen.

Gradually, one of their faces became clear.

I looked closely and saw that the person had the appearance of Qingfeng.

Soon, more faces became clear.

They all looked like Qingfeng, and there were a few faces resembling Mingyue.

Seeing this scene, I knew it was bad.

Without further ado, my only thought was to take my master and leave this den of demons.

I went to the bedroom and woke everyone up, then quickly led them towards the entrance, ready to leave.

But when I reached the entrance, I stopped.

"Hmph, Sun Wukong!"

"You monkey, do you think you can just knock down my ginseng fruit tree and walk away?"

"It's not that easy!"

Zhenyuanzi, accompanied by over forty disciples, stood at the entrance of Mount Five Elements, blocking our way.

Zhenyuanzi no longer looked like he did when we first met, with his immortal aura and Daoist temperament.

A demonic pattern stood erect on his forehead, and black veins covered his skin, making him look like a withered tree.

And behind him, the over forty disciples all raised their heads.

Only now did I see that the over forty disciples had similar faces.

Some had the appearance of Qingfeng, while others had the face of Mingyue.

Each of them stared at us with wide eyes, wearing smiles, and fixed their gaze on us.

"Prepare for a fight!"

Shoot the rider first, capture the leader first.

At this moment, I couldn't care less about what was in front of me. I swung my staff and charged at Zhenyuanzi.

Zhenyuanzi let out a cold snort and fought back with his dust-sweeping brush.

Crackling sounds of the battle filled the air.

"Brother Monkey, I'll help you!"

With a loud shout, my master, Tang Sanzang, joined the fight, unleashing powerful spells and incantations to aid me in my battle against Zhenyuanzi.

As the fight raged on, the disciples with the faces of Qingfeng and Mingyue also joined the fray, attacking us with their own unique abilities.

We fought fiercely, exchanging blows and spells, but it was clear that Zhenyuanzi and his disciples had the upper hand.

Their demonic powers seemed to have grown stronger after consuming the ginseng fruits, making them formidable opponents.

Despite our best efforts, we were gradually being pushed back.

It was then that a voice echoed through the battlefield, commanding everyone to stop.

It was the voice of Guanyin Bodhisattva, our divine protector and mentor.

Guanyin Bodhisattva appeared before us, radiating a compassionate and powerful aura.

She looked at Zhenyuanzi and his disciples with a stern gaze, causing them to tremble.

"Zhenyuanzi, your actions have crossed the line," Guanyin Bodhisattva said in a calm yet commanding voice. "Release the souls of Qingfeng and Mingyue immediately."

Zhenyuanzi sneered and replied, "Why should I listen to you, Guanyin Bodhisattva? I am no longer bound by your rules. I have transcended to a higher realm."

Guanyin Bodhisattva's expression remained unchanged as she raised her hand, creating a radiant light that enveloped Zhenyuanzi and his disciples.

"Your so-called transcendence is nothing but a delusion," Guanyin Bodhisattva said. "You have been consumed by the demonic energy, and it has clouded your judgment."

As the light surrounded them, Zhenyuanzi and his disciples cried out in pain, their bodies writhing as if in torment.

Gradually, the demonic patterns on their foreheads faded, and the black veins receded.

The souls of Qingfeng and Mingyue emerged from their bodies, looking weary and lost.

Guanyin Bodhisattva reached out and gently guided the souls back into their respective bodies.

With the return of their souls, Qingfeng and Mingyue regained consciousness, their eyes filled with confusion and fear.

"What happened?" Qingfeng asked, his voice trembling.

I explained everything that had transpired, from the ginseng fruit tree to the battle against Zhenyuanzi.

Qingfeng and Mingyue were horrified to learn that they had been manipulated and used as vessels for demonic energy.

They apologized profusely, expressing their remorse for their actions under the influence of the ginseng fruits.

Guanyin Bodhisattva reassured them, saying, "You were victims of Zhenyuanzi's deception. It is not your fault."

She then turned to Zhenyuanzi, who was still recovering from the purification process.

"Zhenyuanzi, you have strayed from the path of righteousness," Guanyin Bodhisattva said. "But there is still a chance for redemption. Reflect on your actions and seek to restore balance."

With these words, Guanyin Bodhisattva vanished, leaving us to contemplate the events that had unfolded.

Qingfeng, Mingyue, and I vowed to help Zhenyuanzi find his way back to the righteous path, guiding him towards redemption and atonement for his misguided actions.

It would be a long and arduous journey, but with compassion and understanding, we believed that even the most lost souls could find their way back to the light.